August 9: Absalom

The Hebrew Scripture reading, 2 Samuel 18:5-9, 15, 31-33, depicts Absalom’s gruesome death, and David’s response.

5 The king commanded Joab, Abishai and Ittai, "Be gentle with the young man Absalom for my sake." And all the troops heard the king giving orders concerning Absalom to each of the commanders.

6 The army marched into the field to fight Israel, and the battle took place in the forest of Ephraim. 7 There the army of Israel was defeated by David's men, and the casualties that day were great—twenty thousand men. 8 The battle spread out over the whole countryside, and the forest claimed more lives that day than the sword.

9 Now Absalom happened to meet David's men. He was riding his mule, and as the mule went under the thick branches of a large oak, Absalom's head got caught in the tree. He was left hanging in midair, while the mule he was riding kept on going.

15 And ten of Joab's armor-bearers surrounded Absalom, struck him and killed him.

The literal picture the text evokes is puzzling from a physical perspective. The passages elided in the lectionary reading incline the reader to reflect, how is possible to have one’s head caught in a tree branch? And for a period of time long enough for a soldier can return to his commander, have a longish conversation about whether or not to kill the king’s son, and then come back?

However it is possible to read the account of Absalom’s death as having a symbolic and narrative function. The context of the death scene is an extended narrative regarding Absalom’s attempted coup d’état against his father David. In Hebrew, “Absalom” is made of two words meaning “father”, which one might render in the English alphabet as “Abba”, and “Shalom,” or “peace.” The narrative on his rise and fall is juxtaposed with the narrative in which David has Uriah killed and marries his wife Bathsheba: the writer of 2 Samuel seems to suggest a retributive symmetry.

Absalom is a complex figure. 2 Samuel 13 describes the rape of Absalom’s sister Tamar by Amnon, David’s first son and heir from a different mother. Amnon lures his half-sister Tamar to his tent, pretending to be sick and asking her to bring him food. For those who would like more information, Phyllis Trible’s Texts of Terror contains a chapter that analyzes this scene in detail. After raping Tamar, Amnon calls his servants to remove her from his tent. Trible calls attention to how Amnon shifts from addressing her as “my sister” to “this woman,” a term that denotes contempt. Tamar takes refuge in Absalom’s dwelling place, but her father does not defend her: “When King David heard of all these things, he became very angry, but he would not punish his son Amnon, because he loved him, for he was his firstborn” (2 Samuel 13:21). Amnon, as the next in line to succeed David, is allowed to rape his sister with impunity.

Absalom’s first act of rebellion against David is portrayed as motivated by his desire to avenge his sister. Absalom invites Amnon to a celebration, at the height of which he commands servants to kill him. Although it is at first reported that Absalom has killed all of David’s sons, also present at the feast, David’s nephew explains, “. . . Amnon alone is dead. This has been determined by Absalom from the day Amnon raped his sister Tamar” (13:32). After this act, Absalom flees to a neighboring land in exile. After three years, David is persuaded to allow Absalom to return; however, Absalom is not allowed into David’s presence for three years (14:23).

The manner in which Absalom dies is foreshadowed in 2 Samuel 14, in the description of his hair: “Now in all Israel there was no one to be praised so much for his beauty as Absalom; from the sole of his foot to the crown of his head there was no blemish in him. When he cut the hair of his head . . . he weighed the hair of his head, two hundred shekels by the king’s weight” (25-26). The NOAB editors write that this is an extremely large amount of hair, and prefigures his death (467).

When Absalom is brought back into favor, he attempts to gain the sympathy of David’s subjects. The 2 Samuel writer describes him standing by the gate, saying to people who come with a grievance seeking justice from the king: “See, your claims are good and right; but there is no one deputed by the king to hear you. . . . If only I were judge in the land! Then all who had a suit of cause might come to me, and I would give them justice” (15:3-4). Absalom builds up power for himself, resulting in a messenger telling David, “The hearts of the Israelites have gone after Absalom” (15:13). Israel then plunges into civil war, culminating in the death of Absalom and defeat of his army, portrayed in the lectionary passage. The NOAB editors suggest that Absalom losing his mule--the animal on which members of the royal household road--reinforces his lost battle for the kingship.

31 Then the Cushite arrived and said, "My lord the king, hear the good news! The LORD has delivered you today from all who rose up against you."
32 The king asked the Cushite, "Is the young man Absalom safe?" The Cushite replied, "May the enemies of my lord the king and all who rise up to harm you be like that young man."

33 The king was shaken. He went up to the room over the gateway and wept. As he went, he said: "O my son Absalom! My son, my son Absalom! If only I had died instead of you—O Absalom, my son, my son!"

An aspect of this passage that stands out is the extent to which David mourns Absalom’s death. Although Absalom marshaled a military force that caused David to flee Jerusalem across the Jordan River, David is still capable of grieving his son’s death. At the beginning of this passage, we see David telling each of his commanders to spare Absalom’s life; his being stabbed is Joab’s decision, not David’s. David’s mourning prompts his commander and chief to use harsh words:

“You have made it clear today that commanders and officers are nothing to you; for I perceive that if Absalom were alive and all of us were dead today, then you would be pleased. So go out at once and speak kindly to your servants; for I swear by the LORD, if you do not go, not a man will stay with you this night . . .” (19:6-7)

The violence, betrayal, and unexpected grief in the narrative of Absalom’s death create a psychologically complex and tragic father-son relationship. William Faulkner’s novel Absalom, Absalom, about the rise and fall of a nineteenth-century Southern family, is a recast of this story. Other lectionary readings for this week include the following: Psalm 130 or Psalm 34:1-8; Ephesians 4:25-5:2; l John 6:35, 41-51.

Works cited:

Coogan, Michael, Ed. The New Oxford Annotated Bible (3rd ed). Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007.

Trible, Phyllis. Texts of Terror. Minneapolis: Fortress Press, 1984.